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Talking to God—when you want to scream
Lucy Maud Montgomery was the famous author of Anne of Green Gables. In her journal entry from Christmas Eve 1909 she left a record about how much anguish she was feeling at that point in her life: “I feel shrieking at [God] defiantly, ‘Why did you create me to suffer… Listen ⇢
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Advice for a king—and for all of us
[Note: New podcast episode link below.] ~ In Daniel 4, we learn about a king who has become proud and arrogant. He has a troubling dream. Since Daniel has developed a reputation for successfully interpreting dreams, he is summoned to help. Daniel says that the king will be humbled. He… Listen ⇢
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Humility: weakness to the world, greatness to God
In the previous devotional I raised the topic of humility. In Daniel 4, the pagan king was full of himself. But God taught him a lesson and punished him for seven years. He was made to live like an animal and even eat like one. When he finally acknowledged God… Listen ⇢
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Humility—even when things get heated
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4). In the eighteenth century there was a very heated debate between two theological heavyweights—George… Listen ⇢
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When getting things done isn’t the point
“And after he had taken leave of them, [Jesus] went up on the mountain to pray” (Mark 6:46). Towards the end of last year, I went away on a silent retreat. It was a peaceful time to read, pray and sing the psalms. I’m an introvert, so the silence wasn’t… Listen ⇢
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Loyalty matters in more ways than you think
This week we have been exploring the bravery and faith of Daniel’s three friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. We have been using their experience to ask important questions about our own faith today. These three young men refused to bow down to the king’s statue. But why? In the Ten… Listen ⇢
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Prepare for big moments by starting small
In yesterday’s devotional we talked about having an “even if” kind of faith. This was based on the words of Daniel’s three friends. They were told to bow down to the king’s statue. If they didn’t, they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. They had two options: Bow or… Listen ⇢
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Having an “even if” kind of faith
It was a ruthless time. Daniel’s three friends—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—were threatened with death. If they didn’t bow down to the king’s statue they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. The king gave them one last chance—bow or burn. In response, this is what the young men said: “If… Listen ⇢
Meet the producer, Matthew Ruttan.
Matthew is a disciple, pastor, husband, and dad of three who lives in the psalms.
